Paved Paths and Perfect Panoramas
Alsace (France) Stage 3 – Mon 5th Sept 2016 – Niderviller to Strasbourg (72 Km)
Weather: 13⁰C min – 22⁰C max, fine, cloudy
““I like riding a bicycle build for two – by myself”” ~ Harry S. Truman
Monday 5th September 2016 will live in my memory as one of the most enjoyable days of riding I can remember. For almost the entire 72 Km from Niderville to Strasbourg my route followed a superb smoothly paved cycleway alongside the Canal de la Marne au Rhin, passing through scenery of indescribable beauty.
The day started well with a good continental breakfast at Chambre d’hôte au Grenier d’Abondance where I was staying in Niderville, made all the more enjoyable by sharing a table with a friendly couple from Metz. Although they spoke little English (and myself little French) we managed to make ourselves understood, with a little translation help from our hostess Sylvie. Unfortunately the Belgian cyclist I met yesterday on route from Nancy had not arrived down for breakfast by the time I left at 9 o’clock.
Setting off on the Rue de Arzviller leaving Niderviller, the road was still wet from the rain over night … much to the liking of the giant slugs and snails which I managed to avoid. Soon I was riding through a forest with trees starting to show their autumn colouring. Piles of logs lay on the roadside waiting to be collected and taken to a mill.
Emerging from the woods I entered a very appealing town called Arzviller, featuring an ornate grotto erected in memory of a deceased resident. Another memory I have of the town is watching a young girl carrying a basket, being led by what appeared to be her grandmother into the garden to pick some fresh produce for the family to eat.
The next section of the cycle path was particularly scenic, with lovely houses on one side and the canal on the other. Some of the houses beside the canal were stunning, and there were countless locks kept busy by luxury holiday cruisers, typically catering for about six passengers each and always with a couple of bikes on deck.
It had taken me about two hours to travel 20 Km because I was compelled to stop frequently to take photos, then I couldn’t resist a short detour into the charming village of Lutzelbourg with its ivy covered houses.
The border of Lorraine and Alsace was marked by two signs – the Lorraine one saying merci (thanks for visiting) and the Alsace one saying bienvenue (welcome).
Saverne was my first experience of a typical Alsatian town, with German-influenced timber-framed houses everywhere. But the place that captured my heart was Waltenheim-sur-Zom, straight out of a fairy tale with its pretty Hansel and Gretel house and quaint miniature timber-framed houses as mailboxes.
For the remaining 30 Km the scenery was unchanging, with a continuous straight path running beside the canal … pleasant enough but few photo opportunities. My enjoyment during this section came from powering along effortlessly, chewing up the miles at a reasonable tempo until Strasbourg loomed. The first thing I noticed was the number of armed police near the shopping centres, a reminder of the uncertain times we live in.
Strasbourg is a large city (more than 400,000 people) and is considered to be the cycling capital of France, with over 500 Km of well-connected cycling routes in and around the city. Spending three nights in a studio apartment in the heart of town I am looking forward to exploring the town fully in the next couple of days.
On days like today you enjoy living the moment, never want the ride to end. The world is a beautiful place and I give thanks every day that I still have the health and fitness to experience a large slice of it from the seat of a bicycle.
